Method and system for shot tracking

ABSTRACT

A device for shot tracking is disclosed herein. The device comprises a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, a circuit board disposed within the housing, a sensor disposed on the circuit board, a plurality of board components disposed on the first side and the second side of the circuit board, wherein the shot tracking device transmits a signal when the golf club strikes a golf ball, the signal comprising identification of the golf club.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/286,326 filed on Dec. 14, 2009.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shot tracking. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for tracking shots of a golfer during a round of golf.

2. Description of the Related Art

Golf clubs combine with the players swing to propel a ball toward a favored location and through a favored path. The orientation and speed of the club head at impact largely determines the ball path including carry distance and roll.

The prior art is lacking in a method and system to measure the motion of the club through measurement of the shaft.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a shot tracking device for attachment to the grip of a golf club. The shot tracking device comprises a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, a circuit board with a first and second side, the circuit board also disposed within the housing. A sensor is disposed on the circuit board. There exists a plurality of board components disposed on the first side and the second side of the circuit board. The shot tracking device transmits a signal when the golf club strikes a golf ball and the signal comprises the identification of the golf club.

The invention also includes a shot tracking device comprising a housing with a main body and a projection body extending downward from the main body. A battery is disposed within the housing and a circuit board is disposed within the housing and below the battery. The circuit board is double sided, and has a shock switch located on the second side. A plurality of components, including a microprocessor, an RFID chip, a capacitor, a resistor, and an enabler, are disposed on both the first and second side of the circuit board. The shot tracking device transmits a signal when the golf club strikes a golf ball, the signal comprising an identification of the golf club.

Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of components of a system for shot tracking.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of components of a system for shot tracking, including the main body and projection body extending downward.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shot tracking device and the housing component.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the circuit diagram of the components of a system for shot tracking.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method of shot tracking.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of components of a system for shot tracking with the switch open.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of components of a system for shot tracking with the switch closed.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a system for shot tracking.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows components of the system which can be attached to a golf club.

FIG. 2 shows the components of a system for shot tracking, including the main body of the housing and a projection extending downward.

FIG. 3 shows the housing component of the shot tracking device and illustrates the diameter.

FIG. 4 illustrates a circuit diagram of the present invention. The components of the system 20 within the golf club 50 preferably include a power source, such as a battery 24, a microprocessor 30 a, an RFID transponder and antenna 30 b, a capacitor 30 c, a resistor 30 d, and an enabler 30 e.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method 1000 for shot tracking. At block 1001, a golfer swings a club and impacts a golf ball. At block 1002, an accelerometer is activated by the impact of the golf club with the golf ball. At block 1003, a switch located between a power source and an active RFID transponder is temporarily closed due to the activation of the accelerometer. At block 1004, the active RFID transponder is powered by the power source. At block 1005, the active RFID transponder transmits at least one signal containing data about the golf club. At block 1006, the signal is received at a receiver.

FIG. 6 illustrates components of the system located within a golf club prior to impact of a golf club with a golf ball.

FIG. 7 illustrates components of the system located within a golf club subsequent to impact of a golf club with a golf ball.

FIG. 8 illustrates the system. The device 20 attached to a golf club 50 swung by a golfer sends a signal 62 to a receiver 60. The receiver is attached to a golf bag 61, however, those skilled within the pertinent art will recognize that the receiver may be attached to any pertinent device including the golfer, or may stand alone.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a shot tracking device 20 for attachment to a golf club 50 comprises a housing 22, a battery 24 disposed within the housing and a circuit board 26 disposed within the housing 22. A sensor 28 is disposed on the circuit board 26. A plurality of components 30 are disposed on both the first and second side of the circuit board 26. The shot tracking device 20 transmits a signal when the golf club 50 strikes a golf ball and the signal comprises the identification of the golf club 50.

Preferably, the housing 22 is a rubberized material formed around the battery 24, the circuit board 26, the sensor 28 and the plurality of chips. In an alternative embodiment, the housing 22 is an epoxy material formed around the battery 24, the circuit board 26, the sensor 28 and the plurality of components 30.

The plurality of components, disposed on the circuit board 26, include a microprocessor 30 a, an RFID chip 30 b, a capacitor 30 c, a resistor 30 d and an enabler 30 e.

In one embodiment, the sensor 28 is a shock switch. The housing 22 preferably comprises a main body 22 a and a projection body 22 b. The projection body 22 b preferably has a length that ranges from 5 mm to 1 mm. The housing 22 preferably has a diameter, D, that ranges from 20 mm to 25 mm. The battery 24 is preferably a CR1620 having at least 75 milliamps of power.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the shot tracking device 20 comprises a housing 22 with a main body 22 a and a projection body 22 b extending downward from the main body 22 a. A battery 24 is disposed within the housing 22 and a circuit board 26 is disposed within the housing 22 and below the battery 24. The circuit board 26 is double sided, and has a shock switch disposed on the second side. A plurality of components 30, including a microprocessor 30 a, an RFID chip 30 b, a capacitor 30 c, a resistor 30 d, and an enabler 30 e, are disposed on both the first and second side of the circuit board 26. The shot tracking device 20 transmits a signal when the golf club 50 strikes a golf ball, the signal comprising an identification of the golf club 50.

Preferably, the housing 22 is a rubberized material formed around the battery 24, the circuit board 26, the sensor 28 and the plurality of chips. Alternatively, the housing 22 is an epoxy material formed around the battery 24, the circuit board 26, the sensor 28 and the plurality of board components 30.

The battery 24 is preferably a CR1620 having at least 75 milliamps of power. Preferably, the sensor 28 is a shock switch. The housing 22 preferably has a diameter, D, that ranges from 20 mm to 25 mm. The projection body 22(b) preferably has a length that ranges from 5 mm to 10 mm.

The receiver is preferably a GPS device such as disclosed in Balardeta et al., U.S. Patent Publication Number 20090075761 for a Golf GPS Device And System, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, the receiver is a personal digital assistant (PDA), “smart phone”, mobile phone, or other similar device. However, those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that the receiver may be any device capable of receiving and storing signals from the RFID tag.

The device is used with a golf club such as disclosed in the references below.

Gibbs, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,468 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Galloway, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,470 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Williams, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,166,038 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Desmukh U.S. Pat. No. 7,214,143 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Murphy, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,600 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Gibbs, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,258,626 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Galloway, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,258,631 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Evans, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,419 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Hocknell, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,250 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The measurements may be inputted into an impact code such as the rigid body code disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,821,209, entitled Method for Predicting a Golfer's Ball Striking Performance, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The swing properties are preferably determined using an acquisition system such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,990, entitled System and Method for Measuring a Golfer's Ball Striking Parameters, assigned to Callaway Golf Company, the assignee of the present application, and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that other acquisition systems may be used to determine the swing properties.

Other methods that are useful in obtaining a golfer's swing characteristics are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,175, for a Diagnostic Golf Club System, U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,634, for an Instrumented Golf Club System And Method Of Use, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,493, for an Instrumented Golf Club System And Method Of Use, all of which are assigned to Callaway Golf Company, the assignee of the present application, and all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims. 

1. A shot tracking device for attachment to a grip of a golf club, the shot tracking device comprising: a housing; a battery disposed within the housing; a circuit board disposed within the housing, the circuit board having a first side and a second side; a sensor disposed on the circuit board; and a plurality of board components disposed on the first side and the second side of the circuit board; wherein the shot tracking device transmits a signal when the golf club strikes a golf ball, the signal comprising an identification of the golf club.
 2. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the housing is a rubberized material formed around the battery, the circuit board, the sensor and the plurality of chips.
 3. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the housing is an epoxy material formed around the battery, the circuit board, the sensor and the plurality of board components.
 4. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of board components comprises a microprocessor, an RFID chip, a capacitor, a resistor and an enabler.
 5. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is a shock switch.
 6. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a main body and projection body.
 7. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the housing has a diameter D that ranges from 20 mm to 25 mm.
 8. The shot tracking device according to claim 6 wherein the projection body has a length that ranges from 5 mm to 10 mm.
 9. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the battery is a CR1620 having at least 75 milliamps of power.
 10. A shot tracking device for attachment to a grip of a golf club, the shot tracking device comprising: a housing having a main body and a projection body extending downward from the main body; a battery disposed within the housing; a circuit board disposed within the housing and below the battery, the circuit board having a first side and a second side; a shock switch disposed on the second side of the circuit board; and a plurality of board components disposed on the first side and the second side of the circuit board, the plurality of board components comprises a microprocessor, an RFD chip, a capacitor, a resistor and an enabler; wherein the shot tracking device transmits a signal when the golf club strikes a golf ball, the signal comprising an identification of the golf club.
 11. The shot tracking device according to claim 10 wherein the housing is a rubberized material formed around the battery, the circuit board, the sensor and the plurality of chips.
 12. The shot tracking device according to claim 10 wherein the housing is an epoxy material formed around the battery, the circuit board, the sensor and the plurality of board components.
 13. The shot tracking device according to claim 10 wherein the battery is a CR1620 having at least 75 milliamps of power.
 14. The shot tracking device according to claim 10 wherein the sensor is a shock switch.
 15. The shot tracking device according to claim 10 wherein the housing has a diameter D that ranges from 20 mm to 25 mm.
 16. The shot tracking device according to claim 10 wherein the projection body has a length that ranges from 5 mm to 10 mm. 